NATO Summit: Welcome by Prime Minister

Dear Secretary General,

Dear Heads of State and Government,

It is my great honour and distinct pleasure to welcome you to Brussels, at the headquarters of our Alliance. An Alliance we forged over 70 years ago. An Alliance which remains critical to our security and our freedom, both for Europe and North America.

We gather here today to reconfirm our commitment to trans-Atlantic solidarity. To renew this Alliance as a community of values, after a difficult period. And to prepare our Alliance for a future full of challenges.

Furthermore, the fact that we meet in person carries the hope that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us.

As Prime Minister of Belgium, I am particularly glad to welcome the new President of the United States, His Excellency Mr. Joe Biden, to the NATO headquarters in Brussels. His presence emphasizes the renewal of the trans-Atlantic partnership.

During your stay in Brussels, Mr. President, you will also visit the headquarters of another critically important organization for our freedom and prosperity, the European Union. In doing so, you will emphasize the values we share, both in NATO and in the EU. A strong partnership between the European Union and the United States is vital for our Alliance to successful.

Dear Colleagues,

As Prime Minister of the country that is proud to host the headquarters of these two organisations, I would like to thank NATO’s Secretary General, for the excellent preparation of this Summit Meeting. Thank you, Jens, for your leadership and for bringing us together here today to reconfirm our partnership. I am confident that this meeting will be successful in uniting us all around a renewed trans-Atlantic consensus and in shaping our common agenda for the years to come.

Thank you.